​At the end of October, the new cohort of Life Course Scholars was welcomed to the program with a lunch reception at the Mandeville Suite of Tioga Hall in Muir College. Twenty-six members of the new cohort appeared, all brimming with enthusiasm. After a warm congratulations from Dr. Bussell and Dr. Lewis, the scholars introduced themselves, divulging their interest in the program and the lessons and experiences they would hope to gain by fostering intergenerational connection through the Life Course Scholars Program. The program, which has since doubled in size since it was piloted last Winter, will continue to provide opportunities for students to collaborate in order to deploy Healthy Aging Projects in the community. This year, students will have both Winter and Spring Quarter to plan and implement their ideas. With students representing a wide variety of majors--from neuroscience and biology to Public Health and Urban Studies, these students hold the promise of contributing a wide spectrum of creative ideas to the plethora of challenges facing the elderly community in San Diego and beyond.

Continuing into November, the cohort has since met three times, continuing their immersion into the world of aging in America--and becoming equipped with the knowledge and skills they will take with them into each of the sites in the greater San Diego area. For the second year, the Life Course Game was played, wherein students were divided into teams and assigned a "socioeconomic" profile. As they moved forward through their respective "life courses" and alongside their peers, they acquired a sense of how impactful certain life events could be along the spectrum of economic and health disparities. Students also shared critiques of the game--reflecting on the pedagogical nature of the game but also expressing concerns regarding its shortcomings.

The inaugural cohort of Life Course Scholars continues to play an active role in the LCS Program, particularly for new scholars who are interested in learning practical lessons from the first cohort about the implementation and scope of Healthy Aging Projects. Our most recent meeting, which featured a transportation lecture and tutorial, also provided an opportunity for Amanda and Sandra to discuss the processes and results of their HAPs.

As the quarter is drawing to a close, we are looking forward to what Winter and Spring will hold for the Life Course Scholars Program. Dr. Lewis and Dr. Bussell are equipped with many lessons under their belts from the trials, tribulations, and successes of the first year of LCS--and are sure to orchestrate a compelling and enriching experience for the new cohort over the next seven months and beyond. With a fresh cohort of bright, compassionate, worldly, diverse, and competitive new scholars, we are very excited for the future of the Life Course Scholars program!